Smartphones, Tablets, Televisions! Oh My!

Screens...they seem to be everywhere! Do you know that a typical family of four has a minimum of 6 devices in their home? Crazy, right? Access to information is at our fingertips... and our kids too! While the American Pediatrics Association recommends children under the age of two not be exposed to any type of screen exposure and children 2-5 be limited to 1 hour a day, it is realistic to assume that access to various devices and apps has made overuse and overstimulation challenging to avoid. Netflix, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon… the struggle is real!

So, what is a parent or child care provider to do? How can we provide an educational experience when using screens and teach our children responsible habits too?

Zero to Three offers some great tips!

Use media as a tool to interact with and create learning opportunities

Promote language development by asking questions and describing what the characters are doing

Point out and label items they are presented (animals, vehicles, colors, etc.)

Be active while watching (dancing, hopping, etc.)

Connect what children are seeing on the screen with real life situations so they can gain an understanding of the world around them (new baby, emotions, new friends, holidays, etc.)

Avoid using media and devices to aid in sleep other than music

Choose content that is age appropriate and relevant to children’s experiences

Educational and child-directed

Interesting and fun

Has a learning goal

Interacts directly with child (asks them to act or give response)

Is meaningful and relates to child situations

Straightforward and repetitive

Model appropriate screen time behavior

Limit own screen time when interacting with children

Avoid background media by turning off television or using devices during routines like eating

Review child care policy on screen time to ensure consistency between home and child care